Category: All about HOU

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Houston, do you even ‘Press?

As we wait or can’t wait for May, as the case may be, there are WordPress events happening near you that you can attend!

Although Houston is a HUGE city, all WordPress Meetups fall under The Houston WordPress Meetup Group. Depending on where you’re located, you can meet other WordPressers in your area.

Heights Meetup

In which area of Houston does this happen?
In the Heights, which is located inside I-610, north of I-10, and west of I-45

When is it?
The first Wednesday of every month

What do they talk about?
Past topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Setting up a Fast, Scalable and Robust WordPress Installation on AWS
  • Is it worth it to use a Page Builder?
  • Technical Visual Design Suggestions for Your Awesome Website
  • SEO for WooCommerce
  • Plugins that help you master Pinterest!

NEW! Digital Meetup

In which area of Houston does this happen?
Wherever you are!

When is it?
The third Thursday of every month

What do they talk about?
This meetup covers what you need to know when you’re new to WordPress. The recurring topic is For Those Who Asked for Help on “Everything.”

Sugar Land WordPress Meetup

In which area of Houston does this happen?
Southwest, in Fort Bend County

When is it?
The fourth Thursday of every month

What do they talk about?
Past topics include, but are not limited to:

  • How To Make an eCommerce Website with WooCommerce
  • Your Marketing Plan for 2020!
  • All Business Professionals Must Hunt (But No One Likes to Be Targeted)
  • Email Automation With Active Campaign
  • Zapier and Automation – Getting started with Universal App Connector

The Woodlands WordPress Meetup

In which area of Houston does this happen?
North, in Shenandoah

When is it?
Various Saturdays
NOTE: Nothing upcoming is scheduled at this time, but keep your eyes open!

What do they talk about?
Past topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Setting Up Security on your WordPress Website
  • Backing Up and Migrating with WP All-In-One Migration
  • Let’s Talk About Drag and Drop Page Builders
  • Let’s Talk Chatbots, SSLs, and Trends in WordPress
  • Building a Church Website

See upcoming events on the Meetup page: https://www.meetup.com/houston-wordpress/

Check out the Houston WordPress Meetup Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/greaterhoustonwordpress

Check out the Houston WordPress Meetup Group on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HouWP

WordCamp Houston 2020 Updates

If you haven’t already, subscribe to our updates so you never miss the latest information about WordCamp Houston.

Show us that you’re as excited for WordCamp Houston as we are by using the hashtag #WCHOU in your WordCamp Houston posts. Be sure to find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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Why is Houston Called Space City?

Space Shuttle at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas

This post’s featured image caption: Space Shuttle at Johnson Space Center, Photo courtesy of Space Center Houston

“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”

“Houston, we have a problem.”

Famous words uttered from outer space with one thing in common. Houston.

Maybe it’s clear why Houston carries the nickname of “Space City.” Or maybe not.

On September 12, 1962, then-president John F. Kennedy delivered his monumental speech announcing the country’s plan to send a man to the moon. The speech took place at Houston’s Rice University and gave NASA’s Apollo program a clear mission, and a need to expand!

Not far from the stadium where Kennedy stood, the Humble Oil and Gas company donated approximately 1,000 acres of land to the University. This land would soon be the new home of NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center, later renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC).

Photograph of Mission Control Center in Houston Texas
Mission Control Center, photograph by Heather B.

While space vehicles are launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, all manned spaceflight for the United States are coordinated and monitored from the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center in Houston. Which is why most communication from astronauts begin with the word “Houston…”

Photograph of the Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, Texas
Neutral Buoyancy Lab, photograph by Heather B.

Houston is also home to the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL). The NBL is a 6.2 million gallon swimming pool (essentially) filled with mock-ups of the International Space Station (ISS) and other space vehicles. This is the place where astronauts from around the world come to practice for upcoming spacewalks. This is the closest way to experience the weightlessness they’ll be working in while at the ISS.

If you’ve ever wondered where the astronauts go after they land back on earth, the answer is… you guessed it, Houston. They’ll spend some time reacclimating to the effects of gravity from special housing on the JSC campus.

While you’re here for WordCamp Houston, you’ll inevitably pass by one of the many gates to Johnson Space Center. Above each gate flies six flags representing the nations of the current astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

You can’t go in those gates, but you can visit Space Center Houston next door for all things NASA. Rocket park houses a full-size Saturn V rocket, there are tram tours of special buildings on the JSC property (including mission control), and you can explore inside a Space Shuttle replica. Coming soon, one of the first reusable rockets, a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster will be on exhibit as well.

Houston has fully embraced it’s Space City moniker. After all, we are also home to the Astros major league baseball team, Rockets professional basketball team and an astronaut themed McDonald’s (look for it on your left as you’re driving in).

Image of the WordCamp Houston Wapuunaut! A Wapuu in an astronaut suit, hugging a planet.
WordCamp Houston’s very own Wapuunaut

All kidding aside, Houston is very proud of our space-related heritage, and it’s one reason why you’ll see lots of space-related elements at WordCamp — from our website to our Wapuunaut to our venue and session space. We hope you enjoy the view!

To infinity and beyond!

If you haven’t already, subscribe to our updates so you never miss the latest information about WCHOU.

Show us that you’re as excited for WordCamp Houston as we are by using the hashtag #WCHOU in your WordCamp Houston posts. Be sure to find us on Twitter and Facebook.